Savage Land
by kataract52
Summary: It's just an ordinary night at the LeBeau home until Honor goes missing in the middle of the night. Lost in the land that time forgot, she must break a curse plaguing the Savage Land before she can go home. Rated for sexual themes.
1. Bedtime Stories

**Disclaimer: **I do not own.

**A/N: **This story is set in my own AU, where Gambit and Rogue are already married and Ollie and Becca (their children from 'The End') exist. However, before Ollie and Becca, Gambit had a child with his ex-wife, Bella Donna. Honor has the mutant gift of foresight, and much like Destiny and Mystique before her, often falls into the trap of trying to undo things that haven't yet been done. This time, Honor finds herself far from home and playing a dangerous game for her own survival. The story starts off relatively harmless, but will intensify in terms of sexual situations, violence and language. Please R/R!

**Savage Land **

**Chapter One: Bedtime Stories**

Remy hoped he would soon wake from every parent's worst nightmare. What would he tell the little ones? How could he accept his next breath, knowing he'd failed his life's only purpose?

The sun was just peaking over the hills when he arrived in Westchester. The sky was devoid of its usual morning glory, and the air had an unnatural bite to it. Inside his silver BMW, the atmosphere hummed with unspoken thoughts. His ex-wife, Belle, rode beside him. For the last hour, she'd kept her arms crossed and her eyes on the passenger-side mirror. The silence that lingered between them wasn't dammed by resentment, but rather, a mutual desire to at once slow and hurry time. They wanted to live in the hope of ignorance, but if Honor was truly gone… They needed to be with her body.

They would name it, as they had sixteen years ago, and take her home.

Honor's godmother, Ororo, occupied the backseat. Storm had insisted that she accompany the parents, in whatever capacity she might serve.

The police station was a small, modern building in the center of town. Dozens, perhaps scores of uniform vehicles filled the parking lot, and people in matching outfits rushed about like ants. Everyone here had their own, unique purpose, and gave no thought to the others or their tasks or how all the purposes fit together. Inside, torturously uncomfortable seats held prostitutes and thieves and drunks. The miserable lot glanced at Remy as he passed. Perhaps they were hoping to spot a familiar face. Once they realized he had no help to give, their dark eyes became downcast once more. Sometimes he would catch their eye, and recognize a certain emptiness that he shared.

A heavy-set officer approached them with a quick-paced gait. He offered them a cup of coffee, which they declined. Then he swiftly removed his cap and firmly shook their hands, introducing himself as "Sgt. Kelley".

"We keep the bodies in the lab. Follow me, please."

The white hallway was lit with fluorescence bulbs and smelled like sterilized lemons. The farther they descended, the quieter things became. No one dared venture this far from the land of the living. No one willingly entered this fairy world. As the three of them entered the final, tiny room like rats at the end of a lethal maze, Remy heard Belle inhale and hold her breath. The body was a female form under a white sheet. As if in a dream, he seemed to know before he knew. Unlike his daughter, Remy didn't have the gift of Sight. There were only a few moments in his life where he possessed a vague feeling of things to come… The afternoon he met Honor, the night he and Rogue eloped, and the morning she nearly miscarried the twins. He had that sensation now.

Sgt. Kelley exposed only the face, which was frozen white. A sixteen-year-old girl lay dead on the table. Golden locks framed her face like a halo. She was well-endowed and tall, matching Honor's description. But this girl lacked many of the subtleties that caught a parent's eye.

This girl didn't have Honor's flat ears and full eye lashes. She didn't have Julien's chin or Belle's nose. She had a name, but it wasn't Honor LeBeau.

_36 hours earlier_

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ollie ran naked down the hall, chestnut hair flapping in the breeze. Then he slammed the bedroom door behind him: a triumphed grin on his round, freckled face. At the same time, I could hear Hero and Becca splashing all of the water out the bath tub.

My back throbbed in anticipation of the lifting and wrestling to come.

The little ones learned early on to recognize the clues to the dreaded bedtime: baths, brushing teeth, stories and finally, prayers. As with any toddlers, they put up a strong resistance that was nearly invincible when united. We all had our ways of combating it: Momma fussed and spanked, Papa bribed with treats, and Rogue usually surrendered and let them sleep in her bed. My method was distraction by stories. During bath time, I'd tell them about the monsters that lived beneath the drains and sucked up naughty children. This kept the girls in line, but rotten little brother peered down the dark pipes and demanded proof. I made up another story about a boy named Christopher who spent two whole years under the bath tub, so Ollie had better obey, too.

After baths, I wrestled the little monsters into their pajamas and marched them down the hall. The twins, Ollie and Becca, crawled into their bunk beds and patiently waited for me to tuck the blankets around them like little caterpillars. Then I sat on a chair meant to support a toddler, and pulled Hero on my lap.

Hero was my youngest sister, and not related to the twins. Although we all shared the same house, she had her own room on my mother's side. I had suggested putting them all in the same room like an old-fashioned nursery, but my mother wanted some distance. One day the little ones would realize that they weren't related. My mother wanted that blow to be as soft as possible.

"In the beginning, there was only light and darkness," I started. My voice was low and calm, meant to lure them into sleep. They squirmed like little, impatient worms against their cocoons. "The darkness ruled half the universe, and the light had the other. But one day, the light decided it wanted to rule more, so it created the earth. It made the plants and the fish and the stars. The dark got very jealous, so it made bugs to eat the plants, and sharks to eat the fish, and black holes to eat the stars.

"The two of them carried on for years and years. The dark made nightmares and insanity. The light made miracles and love. They always wanted to out-do the other. Then the light created life. It was beautiful. There were angels and babies and puppy dogs. The darkness tried to replicate life, but all of its creations were horribly deformed."

Ollie, still grinning with excitement, interrupted me.

"Did the dark make mutants?"

"What sort of question is that?" I retorted. "You callin' me hellspawn?"

"Yes!" he dared, giddy with rebellion.

The girls giggled with him.

"The light and the dark made many creatures," I continued. "They made elves and trolls and fairies and all the animals. But with life comes free will. Just because someone came from the light doesn't mean they're always good. And just because someone's bad, that doesn't mean they can't be no good. Many creatures turned away from their natural inclinations."

"What does dat mean?" Becca asked.

"'Incline' is when you ought to do something, but you don't. Like when Papa leaves the toilet seat up."

"I fall in!" She shrieked and we all laughed again.

"Back to the story," I said, "The darkness made many things. They made temptation to weaken our resolve and nightmares to frighten us. They made demons to drag us to hell. The dark army here on earth was manned by a tribe called the Amazons.

"The Amazons were tall and beautiful to the eye, but they were fierce and savage warriors. When they decided they would no longer serve the darkness, they moved to the mountains. They were no longer evil, but they weren't really good, either. It wasn't really their fault. They just didn't know _how_ to be good. No one had ever taught them.

"The Amazons had a terrible habit of losing their babies. And sometimes they would even forget which babies belonged to them! But it wasn't just the kids who were treated badly. The Amazon women did all the hunting and cooking and cleaning. They raised all the children, too. All the men did was sit around all day, comparing club sizes. Whoever had the biggest stick was in charge.

"One day, the Amazon women said: 'Enough!'. They took their children and left the men! It didn't take long for the men to start missing the women, so they came up with a plan. The men said that the darkness had told them a secret: a secret so powerful that it could grant immortality. And they promised to share this secret with the women, if they came back.

"The women went back to their old, hard ways. In time, they forgot all about the secret. They couldn't really remember why they stayed with those no-good men, but they figured they must've had a good reason."

The room went quiet, but not for long.

'The end?' Hero signed, sticking out her bottom lip.

"It's not really the end," I offered. "The Amazons evolved into humans, so the spirit of the Amazon women still lives. Every woman is an Amazon: it's just that some have forgotten how strong and brave they really are."

The kiddies smiled to themselves, content to know this secret. Then we all folded our hands and said our prayers. I left Ollie and Becca alone with their nightlight, and saw Hero to bed.

It was only 9:30, and I was a spritely sixteen-years-old. I could've watched television or read a book until Papa and Rogue returned from their date, but I was exhausted. Combating toddlers is no easy feat!

I collapsed in bed and dreamed about the proud Amazonians. They looked and dressed exactly as I expected: with animal skins that barely covered them and weapons craved of stone and marrow. In my dreams, they danced by an open fire. The lifting and spinning of limbs flowed into nighttime passions. I saw a sea of bodies writhing together. A woman's face screamed in agony as the flames consumed her. At first, I was frightened. But as her soul ascended to the sky, other souls were freed. Unborn spirits danced around her and dispersed to the other women. The others didn't seem to realize I was present, but the unborn ones noticed. They floated around me like little fairies, laughing like Christmas bells.

"Come with us, Eldest," they chanted. "Come with us!"

I followed them away from the fire and love-crazed barbarians. We journeyed into the forest: through underbrush and around a pond.

"Come play with us, Eldest. Come play!"


	2. Prophecies Fulfilled

**Disclaimer: **I do not own.

**A/N: **Honor finally makes it to the Savage Land. You may or may not be familiar with Marvel's version, so you may or may not recognize how different mine is. It's the same concept – "the land that time forgot" – but in this story, I focus more on the people and their day-to-day lives instead of clan feuds and dinosaurs. A lot of the details come from my knowledge of pagan lifestyles during Rome's occupation of Britain… Think 'King Arthur' or 'The Mists of Avalon', minus the robes! Enjoy.

**Savage Land **

**Chapter Two: Prophecies Fulfilled**

I awoke feeling immediately damp and overheated. Rising from my sweat puddle, I pulled at the bed clothes clinging to my skin. Had the air conditioner gone out? I lifted my hair away from my neck and face to bring cool air to my skin. Suddenly, I realized I was in terrible danger.

As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I saw I was not in my bedroom. This room had a strange pink tint, and was filled with organic materials: fur rugs and clay jars and log beams. The door opened, letting sunlight in. I saw now that I was in an enormous tent which appeared to be made of animal hide. The floor was hard-packed dirt and held little furniture. Besides the fur rug that held me, I spotted three rolled-up blankets, a clay pot of water and five wooden bowls. The man who had spied me closed the door, and then reappeared with two others. They were gigantic with hardened bodies and scarred skin. Their clothes were unimaginative and basic: skirts made of sea otter fur and necklaces made of the teeth. With them, they carried spears longer than they were tall.

I pulled myself into a ball, trying to cover myself. I had worn cotton shorts and a silk tank-top to bed. I was decent, but barely. I would _never_ have worn this outside my own house, and I was horrified by the situation.

They, however, didn't seem to notice or care.

"Who are you?" The oldest among them demanded. "Where did you come from?"

His voice was harsh and unmoving. I'd hate to be on the other end of his spear.

"H-Honor," I whispered. "From Poughkeepsie… New York… The States? Where am I?"

"The Poughkeepsie tribe?" A different man asked. There was a pause before he added, "From the Southlands?"

"No! I – I…. Please tell me where I am!"

"I found you in the wetlands," The old man said. "We are of the tribe Hezbak. By our laws, you are now my property. If your clansmen are our allies, they may buy you back. But if you are sent by the Vernillies, we will divide your body into twelve pieces and send it down the river."

Terrified, confused, and in no mood to further expose my ignorance, my precognitive notions took over. I learned that I was very, very far from home. In fact, I could not even _feel_ my parents' spirits. I was either on another planet or they were dead. My captors/rescuers lived in an isolated jungle populated by dozens of tribes and hundreds of alien species. The history of the people soared through my mind like a previous life. I dodged the visions and discarded the information until I reached the Hezbaki records. These people were hunter/gatherers who dwelled in the Highlands. Generations ago, they'd settled a plateau that served to protect them well. They lived here still. While foreigners and aliens had visited many of the other tribes, the Hezbakis remained isolated from any outside influence.

That all changed with the arrival of Seraphina. Beautiful and enchanting, the sorceress quickly caught the eye of the chief. She bore him a son, and aspired for him to claim his father's throne. Unfortunately for her, the chief already had an heir. As long as he was married to the heir's mother, Seraphina was powerless. She bewitched the chief, and had him slay his wife. The clan was torn apart by his actions. They cried out for blood. In the dead of night, a mob slaughtered the chief, Seraphina and their son. The chief and child were granted a quick death, but the witch was burned alive. Before the smoke smothered her soul, she placed a curse on her murderers: no Hezbaki seed should take life. It had been five years since that night, and no child had been born to their tribe since. The Hezbakis bought female slaves, but they bore no children, either. They'd made the proper sacrifices; even giving human lives. No amount of blood or tears would lift the curse. Their culture was dying.

Now I understood. The unborn souls in my dream had chosen the Hezbakis as their parents, but because of the barrier they couldn't be born. They brought me here to help.

But if I were going to be any help, I needed to act quickly.

"I'm no spy," I told the men. "I've heard your prayers, and I've come to help you. I could tell you who I am and where I came from… but you wouldn't understand. Just know that I've seen the faces of your unborn children, and they brought me here."

There was a palpable silence. I resisted the urge to wipe away the sweat on my nose. I didn't want to appear nervous; Logan always said not to blink when staring down a wolf.

"Fetch Purnanada," the oldest man said.

One of the others left, taking the tension with him.

The younger man, the silent one, brought me a cup of water. I accepted with a pleasant smile. By the time I finished, the man had returned with a woman. She, too, was intimidating. Tall and strong legs supported wide hips which were fully exposed. Her "dress" consisted of grey silk spun as heavily as rope. The attire hung over her shoulders like a long vest, and she tied off her waist with a black leather belt. Her jewelry was of a higher class, too. Both wrists and ankles wore precious stones, and her head bore a crown of pearls.

I stood: unfazed by my immodesty and the heavy silence. Just as before, I met her gaze without weakness. I knew this woman was the High Priestess: second in power only to the chief. She had the power to declare me valuable or send me to my death.

"I have heard your prayers," I said evenly, "And I've come to break the curse."

The surveillance cameras showed Honor climbing out of bed a few minutes after midnight. She went out her bed room window, across the yard and into the surrounding forest. From there, the trail went cold. Her mannerisms implied that she was sleepwalking rather than under some form of mind control. But if she were sleepwalking, her parents should have found her asleep in the woods. Instead, she appeared to have vanished into thin air.

After Remy discovered her missing at 3:00 a.m., he began a silent search of the house and grounds. By dawn, he had to tell Belle and the kiddies that she was gone. He'd never known such blind panic. Was she hurt? Kidnapped? Dead? Best case scenario: she was lost and scared.

Under this sort of stress – the kind he could do nothing to alleviate – he was worse than useless. He was snapping at the kids, chain smoking, and retracing the same dead-end steps while hoping for a new result. In a moment of clarity, he turned to his co-workers, old connections and even the law for help. Emma immediately turned to Cerebra and began a search for Honor's energy patterns. She began with the house in Poughkeepsie and spread out in a circular rotation. Given the time and distance that Honor could have traveled by foot, Emma discovered nothing. Honor was either dead or traveling by vehicle. With a car, she could have reached the air port, harbor or bus station by now. She could've been _anywhere_.

The following day, an old acquaintance turned up a lead, but it was not the sort they wanted. A "Jane Doe" turned up in the morgue the same day Honor disappeared. Although she matched his daughter's description, the girl wasn't his.

Remy was relieved and frustrated at the same time.

Where the hell was she?

Purnanada brought me to the temple, where I would be judged by all the priestesses. There were seven women total, all wearing similar dresses.

Only the High Priestess wore the crown of pearls, but the youngest girl wore a wooden circlet. She was Laska, the High Priestess's heir. The two shared the same legs and hips, and had similar ashy blond hair. I wondered at their relation, but never detected a strong connection. Laska was only two years older than I, and by far the most curious about me.

"What do they call you?" She asked while invading my personal space.

"Honor."

"Ah – Ah-nar? Where do you come from?"

"I live in New York, but I'm originally from Nawlins. Sorry, New Orleans."

She gave a tickled giggle. "_Nawlins_!"

Rahar was second in the temple and royal by birth. I knew Purnanada trusted her above all others. Below these women were cousins: Oxxanya, Qioana and Eait. I only knew they were related because they all shared the same beautiful auburn hair. Qioana and Eait were enormous, as most Hezbakis tended to be. But Oxxanya was petite and proudly so. She liked to brag about her ability to ride any animal without tiring the beast. Kyra was the newest Sister, and had taken a vow of silence. In truth, she hated the Holy Ways, and held her tongue as a way to keep her secrets.

I would need all these pieces if I were going to succeed.

Fourteen eyes watched me enter the temple. They thought I didn't realize that they were surveying my strange clothes, observing my walk, and weighing my worth. They waited for me to take the temple throne: the chair left ever-vacant except for by the Goddess. They waited for a sign or misstep.

I wouldn't give it to them.

Keeping a respectful distance from the throne, I said: "I know I'm not what you expected. You value strength and endurance. Where I come from, we value humility and modesty. I humbly believe that I have been placed here to break Seraphina's curse on the Hezbakis. I will do everything within my power to help you survive."

The High Priestess slowly approached me. I could hear her words before she spoke them: "We have a prophecy… When the summer fever breaks, the blue dragon comes on swift winds."

I almost couldn't breathe. Before my opportunity slipped away, I finished the prophecy: "'The white devil with red eyes resurrects the Old Kingdom, and evil things are passed away.' I have heard this prophecy all my life, but I never knew…"

Overcome by emotion, my voice locked.

The priestesses dropped to their knees, and I felt a chill run over me.

Truly, was _this_ my destiny?

Word spread like flames on gasoline about my arrival. The Hezbakis couldn't do enough to please me: I was housed in the temple, giving fresh clothes, and ate the best foods with the highest authorities. I was asked my opinion on every topic, no matter how trivial. I was even given Laska as my personal servant. At first, I declined. My parents taught me the value of hard work and independence, and I meant to be a noble example to these brutes. But then I discovered just how much work went into drawing a warm bath, preparing a meal and washing clothes in a river. I decided to keep her around for companionship.

My first night away from home was the hardest. My eyes never closed. I watched the moon rise, the stars move across the sky, and the sun rise. Then I rose and returned to work, wishing I could silence my thoughts and calm my soul. Dawn brought a bustle of activity. On this plateau, work was never done. Tents needed mended, children needed lessons, and wells needed drained. With horses, domesticated wolves, wild game, and more than a hundred people, there was no shortage of hungry mouths. Summer was dying, which meant the crops needed harvesting. Meats were salted and trees chopped in preparation of the winter months.

During my own activities, I noticed the harvest preoccupied most everyone for most of the day. I could watch them with hunched backs and distant eyes moving through the fields. I did not envy them.

Luckily, I was kept with the priestesses inside the temple. Now that I had been shown proper due as a deity, they were ready for _me_ to work. I wouldn't have to carry buckets of water and weed the fields. My task was much more difficult.

I needed to make a baby.

"Tell us how to help," Laska said brightly while lighting the temple candles.

"I doubt there is much we could do," Oxxanya responded for me. "Unless the goddess becomes a god in bed."

The tiny woman had a sinister twinkle in her brown eyes. Of all the priestesses, she was the most daring with her humor, but even she wouldn't attempt to jest around Purnanada. As was her morning ritual, the High Priestess was at the river, praying to the god of fertility. The rest of us took the opportunity to enjoy ourselves.

"If I'm going to break the curse," I said, "I'll need to know exactly what Seraphina said. I saw her in a dream, but I can't remember-"

"You who think to slay me shall die with me," Rahar provided. "You take my life, but I take your soul. From this night forward, no Hezbaki seed shall breathe life or take to the womb. To avenge my son, I take yours."

I felt sharp, burning sensations prick my arms and neck at her words. Even after so much time, the curse still held power. I pitied the Hezbakis: I would have killed her, too.

"We've tried everything," said Oxxanya, "We've bought slaves, even though that would weaken the blood. We made sacrifices to appease her wicked spirit. We've pleaded and pleaded with the gods. Praise you for coming to save us!"

I told them, "I don't know what I'm going to do yet… But I was chosen for a reason. I won't leave until I've helped."

Their faces brightened, and Laska said: "It's no accident that you're here now! Beltane begins in six nights, and there will be an eruption of conceptions. Whatever the puzzle, you'll solve it by then."

"There's no puzzle," Purnanada's chilly voice interrupted.

The others quickly dropped to one knee and rose again: a gesture of subordination.

"Ah-nar is the goddess of fertility. She will lay with the god and produce a child."

"Does a god walk among the Hezbakis?" I responded just as coldly. "Why hasn't he spoken sooner? If there is no other deity, a mere mortal must suffice. There is the matter of whom, when and where. If you'd be so kind as to provide more instructions, I'll know where _not_ to look."

She gave me a dangerous look and said very slowly: "_Careful_."

I addressed the room at large as though I hadn't heard her.

"I require some time to pray. Please leave me."

Reluctantly, they obliged.

Indeed, I _did_ need prayer. It had become apparent to me that Seraphina's curse was not on the Hezbakis, but rather the Hezbaki _men_. The women could marry into other tribes and bare their children perfectly well. However, that would destroy the Hezbaki culture as surely as infertility. These people didn't want to merely survive; they wanted to preserve their lifestyle. Barbaric and brutal as they were, this tribe was unique in many ways. For one, they dwelled in an isolated jungle. Secondly, they were isolated even within the remote nation. They engaged in slavery, human sacrifice and pagan worship: all things I found revolting. But these horrible things had helped them survive. Who was I to judge them for it?

These people weren't entirely bad. For starters, they could have left me for dead when they found me. When I spoke of hearing prayers, they could have ignored me and sold me off. When I claimed to possess the power necessary to break the curse, they could have raped me until I died. But instead they helped me at every opportunity. Now I realized that I couldn't help them at all. If they discovered that secret, they'd surely burn me as a false prophet. I couldn't even offer them wisdom because Oxxanya had known the truth from the very beginning. No _woman_ could break the curse. But I knew someone who could.

Remy didn't rest at all the first two nights that Honor was missing. The third night, after he discovered she wasn't in the morgue, he plummeted into tortured sleep. He awoke every ten minutes, and when he did sleep, he heard her calling for him. She needed him. She needed his help.

I was glad I didn't have to _marry_ a Hezbaki man, but I didn't want to _breed_ with them, either. Many bad manners I'm willing to tolerate from an acquaintance but not a lover. Some of the men were slightly attractive, but had arrogance or wickedness to counter it. Over the course of two days and six meals, I'd been subjected to (and rejected) them all. Purnanada told me that my standards were too high. These men were not the gods I was accustomed to, and I'd feel better knowing _less_ about them. _She_ wanted to choose my mate. I overruled her by stating that only _one_ man was worthy of me. In the entire tribe, just one man could break the curse with his seed and my womb. I claimed that I would recognize him by a sign: some sacred act that would set him apart. But none of these losers fit the bill.

"Perhaps he is a hunter," Laska offered, bubbly as always.

"Ah, of course," the High Priestess conceded. "Our hunters are participating in the Yen of Yore celebrations. They should return in a night or two."

"Yen of Yore?" I asked.

Laska said: "The traditional hunting of the white stag: to commemorate the Yen who first lead our ancestors to this plateau. Of course, they never find him, but they have a good time looking!"

"Silly, perhaps," said Purnanada drily, "But the men enjoy it."

This would buy me more time, but time was in short supply. I was trying to reach my father the only way I could – through our dreams. Unfortunately, a dream doesn't convey a message, but rather a single feeling. My feeling was clearly: "help!" The details as to how, when and where were the details in his dream: the clothes I wore, the color of the sky, etc. Since he was never trained in vision interpretation, he didn't know what to look for or what the clues meant. He might not even _remember_ the dream. Mystique could help him, but it'd be a cold day in hell before he asked _her_ for help.

If he didn't arrive in time, I'd need another excuse to stall. I used my powers to seek out the hunters.

Twelve men ranging in age from seventeen to forty-eight traveled the outside forest. These men were hunters: skilled at tracking and marksmanship. In the caste system, they were on par with the farmers. They were beneath the royals, warriors and priestesses, but above the artisans and slaves. This band was no more kind or unkind than the rest of the Hezbakis. I discovered that they were all married except for three. (Marital status was irrelevant to the Hezbakis, but it meant a great deal to me.) Rajzi was the youngest. At seventeen, he was already considered a man. He had his heart set on a farmer's daughter, who was still too young to marry. Blstone had recently lost his wife to a blood disease. Caradoc was handsome, strong and good-humored. For some reason, the tribe thought him bad luck.

I watched them for a while as they rode through a forgotten trail. They set up camp just outside the village. If they'd pressed on, they could have reached the village by nightfall, but they were looking to extend their venture.

Lucky me.

"Gorvy, Killian – string up those tents," the commander instructed. "Cromenbold and Tritus, get a fire going. Rajzi, Ori, Trev! You three guard our bounty. Last thing we need is for a pack of wolves to rob us blind. Lantis, Peter and Sorvecus: secure the area."

The group dispersed to their assignments. Only the commander and Caradoc were left in the original area.

"My orders, uncle?" Caradoc asked brightly. "I could see to the horses or clean the weapons."

"No…" The man said wearily. His eyes darted about as if being threatened. Finally, he seemed to notice a way out of this dangerous predicament. "There's a river not far from here. Gather some fish for supper."

"Right away!"

Caradoc left his uncle's side to search a cart. Once he finally found the fishing net, he gathered it into his arms and sprinted to the river. In his haste, he didn't see a corner of the net drop and get caught on the cart arm. He was moving with so much force that the net tore and the cart broke. Supplies, weapons and food all spilled onto the forest floor. The loud snap of the wood startled the horses, and half of them bolted into the forest.

Twenty-two livid eyes slowly turned on Caradoc.

"You _stupid!_ **Clumsy!** _Cursed_ son of a bitch!" Trev exploded at him. "You carry your misfortune everywhere you go! Why don't you do us all a favor and throw yourself off a cliff!"

"That's enough," his uncle defended. "Let's fetch the horses and clean this mess up. Trev, see if you can mend that net before nightfall. And Caradoc… you go to the village. Tell them we'll return in the morning."

I couldn't bear to watch his humiliation anymore. Just as I was about to pull my eyes away, the poor soul looked right at me and said: "Goddess?"

I sucked my soul back to its body, which was waiting in the temple. My heart hammered against my chest. There was _no way_ he could see me. I wasn't even _there_! No, he must've seen something else: something behind me… Unless he had some special gift of Sight, too.

"Thanks again for takin' them, Momma," Rogue said after she'd buckled the little ones into their car seats. It was about the most ridiculous sight imaginable: Mystique – deadly assassin and expert traitor – with her car full of toddlers. Of course, the kiddies didn't know her as a murderer and con-artist. They only knew her as grandma.

Since Honor's disappearance, the parents (including Rogue) had ping-ponged between rage and desperation. The kiddies didn't need to be around that sort of instability. Security was another reason to send them away. No one knew if Honor had left or been kidnapped. If she had been taken, the abductor might come back. Still… Mystique? Was that a wise candidate? Rogue hoped she wasn't losing her mind. Belle had entrusted the woman with her child many times before. On this matter, Remy deferred to Rogue's judgment. But those two didn't know Mystique like Rogue did. Mystique was _never_ to be trusted. Her loyalties were too mercurial.

As Rogue stepped away from the children's hearing range, she whispered: "If someone's paying you, Ah can double it."

"What?"

"Triple."

"I do not appreciate your insinuation. _You_ called _me_."

"Ah know you'd drive them off the bridge if you thought it'd break me and Remy up."

"I'd like to drive _him_ off a bridge. But that no-good swamp rat probably has a brother who'd sweep you off your feet."

Mystique returned to her car and put her head inside the back window.

"Are we ready to rock?"

"Yeah!" the three toddlers chorused.

"Was that the wind I heard?"

"YEAH!"

"What are the rules?"

"No kicking the seat," Ollie said.

"No screaming in the house," said Becca.

"No get hurt," signed Hero, who was sandwiched in the middle.

"What happens if you break a rule?"

The three little ones made guns out of their hands and started firing at each other.

"Very good!" She closed the door, but Rogue could still hear them firing their "weapons". Ollie caught his mother's eye, aimed and fired at her. She waved good-bye to them as Mystique took her seat and drove away. Even after all the good-byes, it still stung a little to watch them leave.

Mystique felt her blood pressure rising as time progressed. Those little bastards just wouldn't _shut_ _up_ with their questions and stories. She loved them, but she'd love them _more_ if they were quiet. Half the time, she couldn't understand what they were saying. That damn Cajun had completely polluted their vocabulary. Even the questions she understood, she couldn't answer.

"Where's Sissy?"

"When's she comin' home?"

"Why can't I see her?"

No wonder their parents needed a break.

"I had a dream about her," Becca said nonchalantly.

"Who?" Mystique glanced in the back mirror. "Honor?"

"Yeah. She was… on dis t'ing, in de air. And she said: 'Help me! Help me!' Yeah. Dat's what happened."

Mystique drove over the grass median and into the other lane of traffic, which carried her back to Poughkeepsie. All the while, the little ones held to their car seats and cried with glee that they'd all die a fiery death.

If I'd been thinking clearly, I would have kept my vision secret. I should have put the hunters through an impossible test, and helped Caradoc to win. That way, I'd have _days_ without Purnanada's pressures to copulate. Unfortunately, I was young and still inexperienced in the games of politics. I told Laska, expecting her to keep my confidence. I was so excited and eager to meet Caradoc that I couldn't contain my news. She shared in my joy. With burning cheeks, she said he was the son of the High Priestess and the former chief. His parents came together one night during Beltane for his conception. Caradoc was one of many children spawned by the former chief, and like the others, poor Caradoc had long been over-shadowed by his father.

"I am sorry, Ah-nar," said Laska, "But I don't know anything else about him. I've never seen him with a lover or companion. I can ask Purnanada, if it pleases you."

"No, thank you," I blushed.

"Ah-nar… I have seen the way you pull at your dress. It's obvious to all of us that you are accustomed to more coverage. During my own time, I made this for you."

She presented me with a leather coat dyed purple. The cuffs and hem were lined with turquoise stones, and the collar was lined with rabbit's fur.

"Oh, Laska!" I sighed, "I love it!"

I meant it. The stitching wasn't invisible, the color wasn't smooth, and the stones weren't even – but I loved my coat. I wouldn't have changed anything about it. When I wore it, the sleeves covered half my thumbs and the hem reached my knees. Laska complained that she made everything too long, but again I insisted that I loved it. No one had ever hand-made an outfit for me before.

My gratitude crashed and burned with fury when I found out my new friend shared my secret with Purnanada. The more the High Priestess knew about me, the more I was at her disposal.

"I am shocked and grateful that you would choose my son," Purnanada told me. "I never saw much appeal in him myself. He is particularly lacking in spiritual strength… But I suppose it is only just that he should break his father's curse."

The room was full with others – priestesses, slaves and the chief's family. Purnanada never spoke to anyone directly, but to the room at large. I took great pleasure in reminding her that the divine ways are mysterious. No sooner had the words left my mouth when the door opened. A slave entered with Caradoc.

"High Priestess," the slave said in a deep, reverberating voice, "Your son."

"Mother? What is-?"

Suddenly, without provocation, a candelabrum fell across Caradoc's path. The weak flame held tightly to its wick, and then leapt to the fur rug it landed on. Servants rushed to wet the fire, and then scurried to clean the mess. The room in general sighed and marked themselves against evil. The consensus was that Caradoc was at fault, even though he was no more to blame than I was. For the second time that day, angry eyes turned on him.

"I come bearing good news," he said, unfazed, "The rest of the hunting party will return on the dawn. We've had a good catch this year."

"We have even _better_ tidings," answered the High Priestess, "The gods have finally answered our prayers. Ah-nar came to us three nights ago, and has promised to break Seraphina's curse. She has chosen you alone to be worthy of her."

I felt the eyes and hopes of the entire village on me. My face burned and my joints locked. I wasn't usually at a loss for action, but I froze under that kind of pressure. From another place, I watched the slaves shuffle, the priestesses whisper behind their hands, and the chief peer down his nose. Everyone was waiting for me to move.

I couldn't breathe.

Caradoc approached me as he would a nervous fawn. He really was very handsome: the sort of man who might flirt with my stepmother and never notice how silly he made me. He was strong and broad. His very visible skin had a rich tan, briefly interrupted here and there by scars. Dark-chocolate hair was pulled back into a short pony-tail with tiny braids at each temple, exposing a handsome and charming face. When he smiled at me, my knees weakened.

I felt his bright blue eyes pulling me back to reality. His eyes… so much like Tess's.

"Goddess," his voice beckoned me back into my body, "You look like you could use some fresh air. Shall I escort you?"

He offered his right hand: large and calloused and dry.

I accepted it, and leaned most of my weight onto his body as we exited. Thankfully, no one followed us. I could hardly breathe. Scheming and plotting were impossible. With panicking awareness, I realized that I needed my parents. I would drown without them. By the time we reached the river, I could no longer move. The pain was unbearable. I felt as if someone were beating me with a wooden club. I didn't know this at the time, but I was experiencing the weight of my task. It was a burden I could not carry alone.

I collapsed and pulled myself together.

Caradoc knelt beside me. "Are you feeling well, goddess?"

"Water… please…" I groaned.

He quickly obliged and I slowly drank. My arms were so weak; I didn't think I would manage at all.

For a moment, he disappeared and then returned with a cold, damp cloth. With aching tenderness, he pressed the cloth to my temples and forehead. I felt the pain subside like the surf from the sands.

"I'm alright now," I said. "Thanks. I don't know what came over me."

"Perhaps Seraphina's curse is stronger than we thought," he said darkly. I did not like to think he was right, but there was no other explanation for my strange sickness and its sudden disappearance.

"I – I'm sorry the High Priestess introduced us like that in front of everyone. What you must think of me…"

"That is her way," he said lightly. "Maybe you were just dying of shame."

I laughed with obnoxious enthusiasm.

"My name is Honor. I could tell you more about myself, but I don't think you'd understand. I am really very sorry that I had to involve you, but you're the only one I could trust. I will do my best to see us safely through this."

"I am Caradoc, son of Caranbold. I am a Hezbaki hunter, and I trust you with my life."

We sat in comfortable silence while nature lived around us. It was a strange situation: I knew things about him that I had no right to know. We were still strangers, but had suddenly been thrown into this difficult and stressful task. Worse still, I couldn't tell him the truth. How could I require so much of someone while giving so little?

"If you're feeling well, perhaps we should return to the village. Knowing my mother, she has no doubt arranged a ceremony for our joining. Never fear, Ah-nar; I shall be at your side always."


	3. Walk The Line

**Disclaimer: **I do not own.

**A/N: **This is the final chapter, and probably has the most romance and adventure. HOWEVER, given the circumstances, it was important to me that Honor not be pressured into doing something she didn't want to do. She is a very sexual person, but she didn't come to the Savage Land to get laid. In this story, I wanted to show that she is resourceful and courageous. You might argue that Gambit doesn't get the same treatment, and ROMY fans might be pissed… But I felt I kept him in character. (He's only human!) A quick note about Beltane: it was the pagan festival celebrating fertility and the conception of the God by the Goddess. It still exists today as "May Day", or May first. And finally, the name Caradoc comes from my favorite Arthurian knight. He's probably the only knight who married his love and stayed loyal to her. It's a fantastic love story, and a rare gem from a world where rape, terrorism and murder were common.

**Savage Land**

**Chapter Three: **

Emma Frost-Summers, the resident telepath, activated Cerebra for the fourth time in five days. Now that the investigation had a lead, her part could be more productive. As usual, her work was observed by a small, inquisitive crowd. Gambit would trust no one to relay the message correctly: not even Emma, apparently.

Earlier that night, he had called with the strangest story… Mystique was taking her grandchildren for the night when Becca told her grandmother about a dream involving Honor. Mystique was unparalleled in dream interpretation, and after a little discussion, confronted Gambit and Rogue with her deductions. The three of them pieced everything together and decided Honor had somehow landed in the Savage Land.

"The Savage Land" was an anomaly: a jungle paradise hidden within the vast wilderness of Antarctica. Although the people who lived there had no form of government, they were extremely powerful and dangerous. The X-Men had been there on occasion, and knew how perilous the place could be. The sooner they could extract Honor, the better.

"I cannot reach her mind," Emma said, removing the headpiece, "But she is there. Assemble a team and I'll ready the Blackbird."

I thought I'd have more time. Beltane, the festival of love, was still a night and two days away. The celebration lasted three nights, and during this time, all the women in the village expected to conceive. But I would be first. Unfortunately, the Hezbakis saw no need to prolong the excitement. Moving as one entity with one purpose, I was separated from Caradoc and taken to the temple. Sacred songs were sung and holy ointments smeared on my hands and feet. I was bathed in warm water and rose essence. My hair was brushed and braided. Laska sowed tiny pearls in the loose parts of my hair, and even without a mirror, I knew I was beautiful.

As the sun began its descent, candles were lit to postpone the day. Time remembered that it, too, was finite. I shook with dread; my time of comfort was dying.

The dress I was given to wear was lovely. Like most wedding dresses, this one was white and romantic. But I would _never_ have worn this in a church. The silk was so sheer that all my shadowed regions were visible. Any movement exposed my hindquarters, and my nipples weren't really covered but rather hidden in the knitted embroidery. Despite its vulnerabilities, I found little things to love about it – the plunging neckline and the way it clung to my bust – but it was just wrapping. The dress was meant to be tantalizing and quickly discarded. The more I thought about all the horrible things that might happen after the dress came off… The more my hands trembled. What if he were not the gentleman I expected? I didn't really know him, after all… What if it was painful? What if we had an audience? _Mon Dieu!_ _Nothing_ could be worse! No, something could be worse than that. What if I got pregnant?

"You are beautiful, Ah-nar," Laska told me sweetly, squeezing my hands.

The others were slowly leaving, and she stood to join them.

"Wait! What's happening?"

She laughed softly. "We're going to bring your champion."

I gripped her hands and whispered desperately. "Please don't leave me!"

"It will be fine," She smiled. "He does not have to spend the night here unless you invite him."

She turned and left me wondering at the meaning of her words. Could I really send him away? Alone with my thoughts, I could hear the distant beating of celebration drums. I heard the laughter of women in flirtation, and the growl of men in lust. I knew that all around my temple were couples mingling, music playing, and slaves presenting a steady stream of heavy wine and delicious meals. Soon, garments would be discarded and pipes lit. Inside my temple was a silence so thick it rattled my bones. I sat on the steps leading to the throne – as I always did. The dirt beneath my bare feet was tightly packed, but I wondered if I could burrow myself under it.

The door opened and Caradoc emerged into the candle light. He was dressed a little provocatively, too, with a leopard skin loincloth and fresh soap on his skin.

I blushed and looked down, hating the manipulations. The villagers were doing everything within their power to make Caradoc and I want each other… Or at least _think_ we wanted each other.

He came to me and knelt so that our eyes were level. He smelled like sin. Without a sound, he took my hands and kissed the knuckles. I wondered if this was how it would be: quiet, reserved, detached. While I did not object to his actions, I didn't encourage them, either. I wasn't enjoying this bit of flirtation, and realized I would have to work very hard to convince him I wasn't gay. His lips were like fish lips on sandpaper. When he moved to my face, I couldn't help but flinch.

"Goddess?" He pulled away. "I feel as through your heart is not in this. I apologize, but this is not how we do things."

I sobbed at his kindness. Where I expected anger and selfishness, he had showed me compassion. I had never known this quality in a lover – not even Tess.

"I'm sorry," I confessed, "But where I come from, it's disgraceful for a girl to sleep with someone she… doesn't love."

He sat back and watched me for a long time. I could not read his face. Finally, he said: "I will not disgrace you."

He moved to leave.

"Where are you going?" I nearly panicked.

"I will not be far, Ah-nar; just outside the door, in case you want for companionship."

"Couldn't you stay? Just a little longer?"

"I'm sorry, goddess, but I was sent for one reason only. If I terry, the others might suspect I have fulfilled my duty. I could not give them such bitter hope. I do not understand you, but I do trust you. When you're ready, I will be waiting."

But I had wanted to deceive him. I was worried the villagers would discover my secret. I had hoped to keep him inside (but at a distance) until I could work out the next step in my scheme, but he wouldn't oblige. The only way to keep him inside was to bed him.

The village was furious with me. Word quickly spread that Caradoc spent the night outside the temple, and it was a natural reaction to blame him. While he was too noble to correct them, I could not allow this man to suffer more for me. The royal family and townspeople concealed their pain and anger as best they could. The High Priestess showed me no such mercy.

"Why did you send him away?" She railed. "Why do you punish us needlessly? If you are foolish enough to partake of our offerings without blessing us-!"

"Have we failed you in some way?" asked Rahar.

"Do you require something we did not provide?" Oxxanya said.

"I know where we failed," Purnanada answered them, "We should have forced her to dance with the god. That would have moved her in the right direction."

I felt a chill at her threat.

For the Holy Sisters, intercourse came once a year during Beltane. Often, they were given to the chief or some other heroic man. Sometimes they could choose their partner, but only after their first child was born. The object was to protect the priestesses from "falling in love" and leaving the holy service. While most of the women went willingly to the bed of a stranger, some were reluctant. These young ladies were "persuaded" by a blessed phallic stone forced into their privates. This smooth, grey rock represented the god of love. Although this act was performed with an inanimate object in a room full of priestesses, it was still considered sacred. Once the uneasy sister experienced the ecstasy and passion, her fears were expunged. The priestesses called this experience "the dance with the god".

To save myself from this fate, I said: "Impatience is not a virtue! No one was instructed to celebrate early, and certainly no one consulted with me. I will not tolerate your insubordination!"

Twelve eyes lowered in submission.

Behind Purnanada's fierce eyes, I could see a storm brewing. I needed to deal with her before her trouble became too great. However, just as I was delving into her past, a commotion outside broke the spell within. The hunters had returned with a great bounty, and the village was glad for their return. But there was something else… The hunters brought an outsider with them…

I couldn't believe it! The hunters had intercepted my father and brought him here. What were the chances of that happening so perfectly? All this time, I thought I'd been controlling things: pulling all the strings. But here, a complete surprise happened to fulfill my desires. Maybe I was not as powerful as I thought. Stranger still, how had he gotten so close without my knowledge? I knew he was coming, and still he slipped past me! My mind was not as sharp as it needed to be.

I ran from the temple without explanation. Quickly, I passed curious bystanders and hostile hunters. I briefly saw Papa's face light up as I leapt into his arms. I felt like I was eleven-years-old again, and he was the other half of my world.

"_Petite_! Your Momma and I been so worried! I come t' rescue you, and here you livin' like a queen!"

I looked down at my fine clothes and beautiful coat. I still had pearls in my hair from the previous night. He was right: I was dressed like a queen.

He, on the other hand, had clearly been through a jungle hike and violent confrontation.

"Are you all right?" I asked. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

While he pretended to be invincible, I could hear the Hezbakis informing the hunters of all the recent events. There was much apologizing and then he was swept away to be pampered. A few times, he tried to tell me about the others who'd arrived with him, but I quickly silenced him.

Papa's arrival heralded great success this Beltane. If one divinity promised blessings, how wonderful _two_ would be! Purnanada took a particular interest in him, and personally saw to every aspect of his care. She treated him like… Well, she treated him like a _god_. While she bathed him in a heated tub, I used my powers to monitor their conversation.

"Is the wine to your liking, my lord?"

"Every wine would be t' my liking if it be served by such lovely _femmes_. What you say your name was?"

"I don't think names are important for our relationship. Actually, there aren't too many words we'll need. I only need to understand what you require of me." She untied her belt and let her dress slide from her shoulders. Wearing nothing but a proud smile, she asked: "Do you think we can manage to communicate without speaking?"

I stormed from my solitary throne into the bathing chambers. Laska was at my heels as always, and once I barged into the room, I saw the other priestesses doting on my father.

"_Father!_ A word!"

He unnecessarily hurried to cover himself. The tub walls were high enough and the water murky enough to conceal anything unpleasant, but my papa always displayed uncharacteristic traits around his children. More than once, I'd Seen him naked or nearly nude with a woman other than his wife; only my presence would've prompted him to modesty. Once he was dressed and we were alone, he pulled me into his arms and refused to release me. It was the first time in days I felt safe.

"It just your Papa's Cajun charm, or de _femmes_ 'round here a little lonely?" He asked into my hair.

I had to laugh. "I don't know how much time we have, so I'll make this quick. These people are called the Hezbakis, and I… Well, they think I'm heaven-sent. A deity of sorts, and that I'm here to help them break a curse that's left them all infertile. Tonight they begin a love celebration, where everybody sleeps with whoever they want. But those damn priestesses are like kids at Christmas. They just can't wait."

"_Mon Dieu!_ I get here just in time_. Pauve ti bête_… What dey done t' you?"

"No, I'm all right," I said bravely, trying to ease his imagination. "I picked out the nicest guy in town as my partner. He won't even hold my hand without asking."

"He held your hand?"

"Papa!" I said with exasperation. He knew damn well I was no straight-laced virgin.

"You too important for my jokes now? Gotta say, I've never met a deity wit' a good sense of humor." He looked around and even though we were alone, he pulled me to one side before continuing. "We gotta get outta here before t'night. De Blackbird's not a day's hike away, and I t'ink we can reach de others-"

"Leave? No."

I couldn't bring myself to tell him what I needed him to do. I wasn't brave enough to say it, and he wasn't brave enough to ask. He only said: "What you mean? No?"

We looked at each other for a long time before I said in a very small voice: "These people will die out unless we help them."

"Dey ain't your responsibility."

"Friday night, after I put the kiddies to bed, I had a dream. There are souls who have attached themselves to these people, and they're waiting to be born. They choose me – _me_ – for a reason."

"Ain't no chance in hell I'm gonna let you have a baby out here."

"Me? No…"

Timid footfalls entered the room, and Laska spoke with her eyes lowered. "Forgive me, goddess, but we await your presence. It is time for the blessings… If it pleases you."

"I'm sorry," I told her. I suddenly realized that I'd been very rude to my only friend in this jungle swamp. With a sweet smile, I brought her close and introduced her to my father. He smiled for her, too, but in a way that made her blush and my eyes burn. Papa kept an arm around me as we walked to join the villagers. I was proud to be with him, and he was obviously very happy to be with me. For a very short time, I had him all to myself.

The Hezbakis were already engaged in some of the Beltane eve traditions. Foods considered aphrodisiac and flora that enhanced fertility littered the village center. Naked slaves prepared the bonfires that would be lit after sunset, and the villagers gathered together in a giant, single circle. Purnanada went to each and every person with a blessing and a kiss.

I pointed Caradoc out to my father. He was looking very handsome today in a modest grey tunic. His hair was loose and shaggy, making him look every bit the barbarian prince. For some reason, I expected Papa to be as smitten with him as I was. Papa was not impressed. He didn't say anything… He just _looked_.

"He hasn't slept in two nights," I told my father quietly. "Last night was supposed to be our… wedding night, I guess. I told him it would be disgraceful for me to sleep with someone I didn't love, so he left me alone. He could've stayed in the temple so no one knew, but he said it was wrong to mislead people. He stood outside my temple _all_ _night_."

I thought it was the most romantic act in the world, but my father was still not impressed. I knew a losing battle when I saw one.

Laska pulled me into the Hezbaki prayer circle. The sounds of music, rhythm, magic and sensuality filled my blood. The Otherworld came into view: that place behind the veil where dead souls rest and unborn ones wait. Few people possess the courage to acknowledge the abyss, and fewer still will peer into it. I had never seen a ghost in the sunlight or a spell cast without candle light. But the Otherworld isn't bound by disbelief and darkness, and on that day, it boldly crossed those barriers.

My mind slipped into the collective consciousness. Blood. Lust. Love. Death. Rage.

I don't know how long we were captured in the spell, but the entire plateau was included. Only Papa, with his fear and doubt, stood outside and observed. He said we were all very focused and moved as one. The energy was palpable. We fed off each other: growing and moving until the beast reached maturity.

My mind lifted above the others. Their faith and force raised my consciousness into Nirvana. My very first reaction was liberation. Freed from logic and love, I suddenly understood the universe. I saw all things as they were: connected and pure. People aren't as unique as they believe. We are all just parts of the larger existence. If I had to give my experience a physical description, I'd call it white. All things were light and inviting. Misery and suffering were so far removed from this place that they didn't even exist in memories.

From my father's view, I had stopped moving. I stood in a trance with my eyes closed and my head back. After a few moments, my body became so light that it lifted from the ground. The others were oblivious, but slowed and lowered their limbs. Papa said I'd never looked more at peace.

In Heaven (or wherever I was), a shadow approached. It was small and slow, so I mistakenly thought it harmless. In an instant, the shadow transformed into a furious, hideous demon and grabbed me. The beast had fangs as long as my hands and talons that pierced my shoulders. I screamed and fought back.

We fell through the vastness of deep space, a flurry of limbs and teeth and hair. I could feel her anger and resentment burning through my serenity.

_Her_.

_Seraphina_.

"They took _everything_ from me!" She screamed. "I will see them suffer! _I_ _will!"_

I couldn't defend what the Hezbakis had done. Even if they had acted justly, that was no comfort to her angry ghost. All I could do was offer her peace.

"They suffer without your vengeance," I told her. "They always have and always will. Why prolong your agony just to ensure their own? You hurt them in life; is there nothing better to do with your afterlife?"

She remembered things that she'd forgotten. Her husband. Her son. In her bitter grief, she'd reined sorrow over the Hezbaki plateau, but she suffered with them. It was a dance that didn't end with death, but would end with forgiveness.

"Caranev… Where is my son?"

His ghost still roamed: haunted and hungry as his mother. His infant body had been discarded without a proper funeral, which meant his soul could never rest. I knew he haunted the forest near his body, and told her so.

"Will you light his pyre?" she asked me with tears streaming down her suddenly beautiful face.

She was no longer a monster, but the enchanting young woman who seduced a king and stained his legacy. I saw her as she truly was: a clever and cunning girl looking for an equal. All she had wanted was a place to belong. That place awaited her in the Otherworld, but she had refused it. Now she could take her family home. In understanding, she became part of the light. Before she faded into the collective consciousness, I promised to burn her son.

As I slowly and calmly descended, I began to feel my body again. My shoulders were warm and wet. I felt a presence leave my body, and then the ground returned to my feet. Many hands supported me, but I didn't see anyone. Later, Papa said I was caught in a beam of light that emitted from my own body. A blinding blue glow supported me as water would. He watched me float, and then struggle through Seraphina's assault. Of course, no one else saw this because they were in the Otherworld with me.

I opened my eyes to dusk and beheld the villagers sitting with crossed legs. Looking at myself, I saw two puncture wounds where Seraphina's curse had touched me. I was the last person she would ever harm.

During what should have been a holy celebration, the Hezbakis retrieved and burned the body of Seraphina's son. I insisted on it. After his ashes were scattered, I blessed the villagers and the party resumed.

The priestesses busied themselves with entertaining my father. They kept feeding him wine, which I'm pretty sure contained a love potion. After a few cups, he stumbled into a tent with Purnanada and Rahar. Flames leapt at the night sky, licking the velvet void. The bonfires cast silhouettes through the tents, displaying love scenes like puppet shows. Then the parties would empty the room and switch partners. Even the slaves got to participate. Everyone was nude and happy; everyone was equal on Beltane. The entire village smelled like sex, and always I could hear the rhythm of drums. The pounding matched the thrusts of carnal acts, beating its message into my heartbeat. Despite myself, I began to quiver. I wanted to be loved, too.

I took Caradoc's hand, and he followed me to the temple. At the door, he hesitated.

"I do not think I should enter, Ah-nar."

"Why not?"

"I… We've had this conversation before."

I kissed him very softly. "Your goddess bids it."

I walked inside, knowing he would follow. A moment later, he obliged. I smiled to myself and poured some wine.

"Where I come from, we have customs before we do these sorts of things…" I said. "We drink, talk, maybe dance. Would you humor me?"

"We have these customs, too," he answered. "I was hoping for a chance to talk with you. We haven't really had much time together, and there's something I have wanted to ask you. I saw you in the forest that day, didn't I? You have been watching me for years. Why me, Ah-nar?"

"You are the only one I could trust," I said. I drank my wine and waited for him to follow, but he never lifted his cup.

"I have waited for you all my life," he continued with enthusiasm. "You must know how lonely I was growing up. Conceived at Beltane and born to parents who never wanted me, all I ever wanted was a woman's love. When I was a child, I saw you in a dream. You told me you would watch over me from the summer stars, and one day you'd reward me for all my misery. All these years, you have been my only hope."

My heart ached at his confession. I knew he was sincere, but I did not share his feelings.

"The day I saw you in the woods was the same day that the summer stars retired. And then for you to ask for me… I have never felt such pride."

"Drink," I urged.

He took a small swallow. "I was never in line for the chiefhood. Surely you know that. My father had many children, both by his wife and others. But after Seraphina warped his mind, I lost what little I had. Truly, I was born under the unluckiest of stars. But I would do it all again for you."

"Don't… You don't know me."

"Do you love me, Ah-nar?"

"What?"

"Do you love me?"

I downed my cup and refilled us both. "Have you ever been with a woman?"

"Yes," he said lightly. "Last Beltane. And you?"

"Yes," I echoed. We smiled at each other.

I realized now that he was intentionally not drinking his wine, so I tried a different approach. "Lie down and I'll rub your back."

"Goddess, I would not dare-"

"I command it."

He smiled playfully and lay on his stomach. I straddled his _dierre_ and began rubbing his shoulders. Once he was relaxed, I carefully pitched a nerve here and there until he was fast asleep. More than one way to take a man out! I made imitation guns with my fingers and kissed them: good Thieving fingers. Then I stripped my own clothes off and curled up next to him.

Bright, burning, blinding sunlight poured in through the opened door. Through a splitting headache, I saw Laska's smiling face. She bid Caradoc and me good morning as we moved to cover our nakedness. Oxxanya peaked over her shoulder and then disappeared with bursting laughter.

"She's going to tell the High Priestess," Laska stated the obvious. "Caradoc, get dressed. Goddess, quickly - let me brush your hair."

She invited herself in and went to work. With a wash bowl, I cleaned the smelliest parts of my body: my armpits, feet and crotch. What I wouldn't give for a _proper_ bath. Laska brushed and re-braided my hair while I pulled on my jacket and sandals. As she stood before me, so close I could smell her breath, I noticed a new color in her face. Her eyes were brighter than before. She had changed.

"You're no longer a virgin, are you?" I asked. My voice was low to save her any shame, but she smiled proudly.

"Safe to say, Ah-nar, there are _far_ fewer virgins now. How was your night?"

"Successful," I said vaguely. "And yours?"

"Very successful! Physical love is _wonderful_. I do not know how I can live without it now! I have heard horrible stories about lovers who are selfish and rough, but he was _none_ of those things. He was skilled and generous and very patient with me. At first, I resisted him. I wanted him, but I was so afraid. He laid me down and held me and kissed me until I wasn't frightened anymore."

"That's so sweet," I said, my face burning. I was sexually experienced, but I had never had a conversation like this before. In a strange way, I adored Laska for her sweet shamelessness. "What happened after that?"

"You'll think me strange, but I made him put out all the lights. I was afraid he wouldn't find me beautiful or that I'd do something to embarrass myself. He did things I've never imagined… Bizarre things… But it wasn't unpleasant. And then something happened… Promise you won't laugh."

She and I leaned very close together and she continued in a whisper.

"My whole body began to shake. I felt this energy flow through me, as if I had been running. And then, in my lower belly, something tightened and tightened. I wanted things I had never wanted before. I think that is called lust. I thought I was dying, but it was a wonderful way to die! And then, when the tightness in my belly released, I filled with light. My body never felt so _happy_."

I covered a giggle. "That's an orgasm. What was he doing?"

"I couldn't see," she said sadly. "He had my breasts in his hands. And he was doing something down below, with his mouth, I think."

We shared a laugh and she shook her head, blushing furiously. "What did Caradoc do?"

She was curious as kitten, but also worried that I would think her perverse. I decided to share a past sexual experience with her in order to alleviate her fears. I merely replaced Ethan's name with my champion's. I told her that he was well endowed and fearless in his exploration. At first, I was ashamed, but we had only ourselves to please. We tried all sorts of positions, which I described in detail, and when he came, he gave a sort of growl that was as erotic as any touch.

"Really?" Her eyes were wide. "I never thought he had it in him…"

Luckily, my champion was out of hearing range. But I'd said nothing unkind, anyway.

"I was given a place of honor," Laska said, quickly running her fingers through her own brassy hair. "As the only Holy Virgin, I was given first to the god. I may bear the first child in five years. I may be the mother of the Messiah's child!"

As her words hit me, all the blood drained out of my face, chest and arms. My legs felt heavy and my head light. She'd slept with my _father_ and given me a graphic description of it! I wanted to shove a _screwdriver_ through my ears. Simultaneously, my precognitive abilities pierced into her body. She was not pregnant yet, but very soon would be.

_That_ was the reason I'd been chosen to help these people: the unborn children were my brothers and sisters!

The next few minutes passed in a daze. Purnanada pulled me from my temple and brought me to the village square. Everyone observed as she bound my wrist to Caradoc's with a red rope. There was a great celebration and lots of activity, but my mind raced on another plane. I suddenly knew things I did not want to know: Papa had impregnated the Holy Sisters. They sang his praises to whomever would listen, and now married women were seeking him out, too.

I Saw Rogue, and what she would do if she ever found out. The arguments. The accusations. They would fight so loudly that the little ones would hear, and cry themselves to sleep. She'd force my father to leave. Eventually, she'd take him back, but the trauma would be done. Ollie would never forgive my father, and Becca would carry abandonment issues for the rest of her life.

I Saw the faces of my unborn – _un-conceived_ - siblings. Nineteen girls and twelve boys. My father had known his share of women, but good gracious! That number was a little indulgent, even for him! I could only assume that this place was indeed magical. Perhaps lifting Seraphina's curse had caused the exact opposite reaction, leaving every woman extremely fertile. After my father and I were gone, his legacy would live on. He would be held up as a deity among the Hezbakis. His children would forever change the Savage Land: children he would never know.

Back in New York, Scott had the unpleasant duty of telling Belle that the X-Men had lost communication with the recon team. Granted, he'd given worse news, but no one liked to tell Bella Donna anything she didn't want to hear.

"Whatdaya mean, 'lost communication'?" She hollered, Hero perched on her hip. The two of them gave him identical looks: chins lowered and eyes bright.

"It happens," he said calmly. "They're in a remote location with a lot of interference. There's no reason for alarm. When we hear from them again, you'll be the first to know."

"I want to see dere last transmission."

"I can't allow that, Belle."

"I didn't ask."

"They landed safely in an area known to be unpopulated. Logan said they were going to scout out the area for leads. After that, the radio failed. For all we know, they might have her and be headed back."

"Remy's a much better liar. You should take notes."

After my "wedding", Caradoc and I took a walk alone. He showed me the house where the royal bastards were raised, and the fields where he learned to fight. He had great promise of serving in his father's army until Seraphina arrived. He loved hunting, and taught me little tricks: how to track, how to run silently, and how to kill small and large beasts. Of course, with his luck, all the animals had slipped into hibernation except for a giant reptile too dangerous for us to challenge. We had to climb a tree to escape… But we took it in stride.

"The lizards are not as fierce as the boars," he told me while we waited in the tree limbs. "Wild pigs travel in packs and can wait for days. I once had the misfortune of encountering them without a weapon. For ten days, I lived in an oak tree waiting for them to abandon me. They finally starved to death. I survived on ants, acorns and honey. The bees festered into my skin, planting their eggs under my flesh. It was agonizing, but preferable to the boars."

"You're incredible," I gushed.

"Incredibly _unlucky_."

We climbed down and breakfasted on fish he caught with his bare hands. I helped him clean the meat – something I hadn't done since I was a child – and he taught me how to cook fish on a stick.

"It's so easy to be with you," I told him quietly. We sat side-by-side before a dying fire.

"I know what you are, Ah-nar… And I know what you are not. I could be happy with you. But I know you want things I could never give you. I will try to make you happy, if you'll have me."

I did not have the heart to tell him the truth, so I kissed him instead. His lips were cold and wet.

_Yuck_.

We returned to the village, and it was clear that Laska had been searching for me with desperation.

"Oh, Ah-nar!" She hugged me. "Your father sent me for you some hours ago. I have been out of my mind with worry!"

"I'm sorry, dear. I'm perfectly safe with Caradoc."

She gave him an uncertain look and pulled me away. We left him by the market and walked through the gardens. She led me past the center, and we strolled by a long line of women. From their impatient looks, I assumed we were passing the ladies room, but Laska stopped at the front of the line. Looking uncomfortable, she glanced at the tent with the wait and said, "He's in there."

These women weren't waiting on a chamber pot… They were waiting to bed my father!

"_PAPA!"_ I screamed.

Two heartbeats later, he stumbled out with a hastily applied robe. Before the door closed after him, I saw the shapes of two naked women lying on a fur rug.

"_Catin? Jesu_, don't do dat!"

"_You_ called _me_!"

"Five minutes," he returned to his whores.

I screamed and stomped back to my temple so furiously that my feet hurt. Caradoc was waiting for me inside, and watched me fume for several seconds before speaking.

"Goddess, at the risk of incurring your wrath, why are you angry?"

"My father has a _wife_!"

"Those women have husbands," he countered.

"Well, maybe those men don't care who their wives sleep with, but if Rogue ever found out-!"

"They do care. I cannot speak for all of them, but I know in general that husbands love their wives. Unfortunately, marriages aren't designed to harbor passion. They exist to produce children. As these unions have proved fruitless, they serve no purpose. Is that not why you and your father came to us?"

I was so conflicted that I expected my body would tear in two. All my frustration directed itself at Caradoc because he was the only one around.

"Is that all I am to you? Some _mare_ to turn out for calves?"

"Am I _more_ than some stud?" he returned coldly.

Papa coughed, making his presence known. Caradoc looked at him, back to me, and then left without another word.

"You all right, girl?" he asked kindly.

In spite of my previous anger, I was overwhelmed with joy to see him. He had a way of calming my heart that no one could ever match. Being alone with him was like being alone with myself. We sat in silence for a long time. I felt my center returning to me, and all my cares ebbed away. Finally, Papa picked up a chop stick and drew an 'X' in the ground between us.

"We can intercept them at three a.m.," I told him. "Meet me here."

I couldn't tell him everything I knew. After the Blackbird landed and the team dispersed into four different directions, Papa ran into the Hezbaki hunters and was carried to the plateau. The rest of the team – Logan, Tante Ro and Rogue – returned to the jet empty handed. When Papa never returned, they went after him and were captured by the Belzsali tribe. My would-be rescuers had some trouble, for which I was very sorry, but survived unharmed. Now they were following Papa's trail to me.

He kissed my forehead on his way out.

I sat alone in my tent and watched the light slowly fade into dusk. Another day defeated. After several precious hours in solitude, Laska came and drew a bath for me. I invited her to join me. We both relaxed in the warm, scented water. She finally pulled the pearls out of my hair, and I placed little white flowers along her crown. She looked at me with a particular glow.

"Avoid fish from the river," I told her. "It's bad for the baby. And don't let Purnanada dictate your child's life the way she has yours. This is _your_ child, not hers."

She beamed at me. "I will raise this child in your honor."

We stayed in the bathtub until the water went cold and stale. Rahar and Oxxanya finally found us and joined our lazy conversation. The four of us returned to the temple, where we found Eait, Qioana, and Kyra. I found the mood relaxed and conversation came easily. We all listened patiently and spoke in turn. Even when Purnanada joined us, no one dominated the room. We had rejoined the collectiveness. Somehow, the conversation turned to love and sex. The priestesses refrained from mentioning my father by name, and that saved me some discomfort. I kept this to myself, but I saw that they were all pregnant by him: everyone except Purnanada, who would bear no more children. In her youth, she conceived several times and delivered most of her children. Only Caradoc was still alive. He was her unwanted son. Ironically, the child she discarded was the only one she still had.

When Laska asked me if I had ever loved, the High Priestess quietly stood and left the temple.

"I did love once," I said, and the others leaned in. "Her name's Tess. I suppose I love her still, but she doesn't care for me anymore."

"What happened?"

"We grew up. I guess she didn't like who I was."

"What about your husband?" The High Priestess asked. She had returned with her son: a most cruel act. "Do you love him?"

So Caradoc had betrayed my confidence to her, just as Laska had.

Could I trust _no_ _one_?

The others watched on with placid indifference. Love was not a prerequisite to marriage for them… especially not a symbolic marriage that was terminated after Beltane. But Caradoc stood in the shadows with tears in his eyes. I had deceived him with my heart and body, and he could not understand it.

Damn that woman!

He approached me. The anger radiated from his bare chest and poured like acid from his eyes.

"Do you love me?" He asked.

I had lied so many times. What was one more? But this deception, I could not sell. I would die proclaiming my love for Tess. My throat locked up, but my eyes spoke clearly.

"You took everything from me," he said, his voice barely a whisper. It was sharp as a blade, and drove fear deep into my heart. "You made me love you. You made me suffer. For all that, do I have your love?"

"I love Tess," I said weakly.

I was so frightened of him. Would he hit me? Torture me? Rape me? He certainly _wanted_ to do all those things… Anything to break my spirit as his was. His self-control was held by a fraying thread.

"She must've been born under a very lucky star," he told me. Then he left, burning with shame. I had made him a liar, exploited his kindness, and then made it known. I truly had taken everything from him. I didn't deserve him.

I turned away from the others, screaming for them to leave. I couldn't hold my tears back any longer.

There was a feast that night, and Papa and I were the honored guests. I did not feel much like partying, but I put on a happy face for the Hezbakis. These people had allowed us into their homes: they took us into their lives and made us a part of their culture. We had known each other a very short time, but would forever linger in each other's thoughts. I memorized their faces, and the smell of their village. Silently, I took the time to love and cherish them all. I wanted to give them the world. Sadly, I could not even bid them farewell. When they awoke in the morning and crawled from their musky tents, Papa and I would be long gone.

I apologized to Laska (again), and told her how kind and special she was. I told her that she alone was worthy to mother this miracle child, and that I would always watch out for her. There were no words to express my love and gratitude for her.

"All is well," she told me, "I love you, too, Ah-nar."

I went to bed alone. During the celebration, I'd kept an eye open for Caradoc. He was nowhere. None of the priestesses had seen him, either. I couldn't sleep, and didn't think I could leave without making peace with my champion. Perhaps after all we'd done to each other, it was better to end things without words. After the drums died and the lovers retired, he came to me. It was the dead of night, and I felt as if we were truly alone on the plateau.

"Caradoc… I'm sorry."

"I am sorry, too, Ah-nar."

We met half way in an embrace. I took him to bed with me, but nothing happened. He didn't pressure me for anything; we didn't speak further. We just held each other until sleep took over. In a dream, I heard my little brother and sisters laughing. The four of us ran wild in the backyard as a high sun looked on.

"Come on, Sissy!" Ollie taunted in his little voice, high-pitched with suppressed laughter. "Come catch me!"

I ran after of him and the three of them headed in different directions. Ollie laughed so hard that his body rocked and his legs slowed. Just as my hands closed around his ribs, he disappeared into a blue light. Suddenly, the sky turned dark, and I was surrounded by giggling blue lights. The unborn ones danced around me for a moment before floating away. I felt a peace at their parting, but one lingered behind.

"Go on," I urged it.

The light held fast, and then bonded itself to me.

I awoke ecstatic. Joy overflowed from my heart and eyes, knowing I would one day be a mother. I had been chosen. Despite Dr. McCoy's diagnosis against me ever conceiving, I _knew_ this child would find a way to me. Caradoc slept soundly beside me, but I could wake him and give him something to remember me by… I could leave with his child. In the darkness, fresh from my vision – I didn't care that I was a sixteen-year-old, unmarried young woman with an incomplete education. I wanted a baby.

My baby.

"_Chere_!" A voice cut through the darkest hour. "Let's go!"

I kissed my champion farewell and fled with my father.

In the hours just before dawn, Papa and I crept out the village, down the cliffs and through the surrounding swamps. We were making our way through a valley heavy with thrones when we saw the distant shadows of our family. Rogue ran ahead of the others and hugged me first. She asked if I was hurt, and then hugged Papa. The two of them shared an affectionate reunion, and I briefly entertained the idea of telling her exactly what he'd been doing in her absence. Tante Ro hugged me next: her arms as strong and tender as a mother's.

"Wherever have you been, child?" she asked.

Logan joined us, and everyone waited on my answer.

I couldn't see my father's face in the dark, but I could see the twins.

"Funny, that…" I said. "I don't remember a thing. Papa, can you remember how we got here?"

"No idea!"

"Let us get back to the plane," Tante Ro said, putting an arm around me, "Your mother has lost much sleep over you."

"Wait," Logan growled, sniffing the air. "We're bein' tracked."

Peering into the endless shadows of the valley, I eventually saw Caradoc's form. I couldn't help but sigh.

"It's fine," I said. "Could you give us a minute? I won't be long."

The others reluctantly peeled away, glancing back constantly.

"Go home!" I told my champion.

"Ah-nar," he panted. "After all we have been through… You would leave without bidding me farewell?"

"I'm sorry. What else can I say about our relationship? I'm sorry."

He took my hands. "Wherever you are is where I want to be. Please, take me with you."

"I'm sorry," I shook my head. "I know what you are, too. And I know what you are not. The things you want from life, you can't have in my world. Believe it or not, you don't have to wait for the stars to shower you with fortune. There is a woman worthy of you on the plateau. She will come to you very soon."

He stood still and quiet for a long time. I felt the sun warming the earth, and was aware of my family waiting on me. I was also aware of his doubt and longing. He thought I was lying to him.

"I will tell you a secret," I whispered, "Laska will bear the first child since the curse. She will not give her child to foster, and will be forced from the Sisterhood. She will turn your misfortune to glory, and re-establish your father's dynasty. Take care of her, won't you?"

He sweetly kissed my brow, nose and chin.

"Remember me, won't you?"

"Of course. I love you, Caradoc."

I turned and ran to my family, thrones cutting at my precious jacket. Together we boarded the Blackbird and left the Savage Land. Strangely, I never felt removed. I was very much aware that I had taken a part of the Savage Land with me, and left something of myself behind.


End file.
